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Being a woman in today’s time is no joke. There’s always been an expectation for women to stay in shape while maintaining your assets; having long hair, clear skin, and keeping up with hair and nail appointments, basically the works. Nevertheless, in our opinion today it’s even harder, because there are magazines, commercials, and advertisements everywhere of what the “ideal” woman looks like to society. Meanwhile, the majority of “society” doesn’t look like that. Women of all different races have all different types of hair; curly, wavy, straight, deadlocks, some wear it short and some long. We don’t all fit the criteria for Barbie’s blonde straight hair and honestly not many of us want to. Unfortunately, we have some people who feel that’s the only way women should look and discriminate against those who don’t.

 

What kind example does this set for little girls growing up who have their eyes and ears open to everything? A 5-year-old minority girl opening a magazine and only seeing white models with pin straight hair is intimidating. Furthermore, we have little girls coming home and telling their parents they want to dye their hair and perm it. These girls think because they don’t embody the same features as the models that they aren’t just as beautiful. Aside from that, these children then go to school to be told by their teachers or administrators “Your hair is unacceptable”. What a wonderful way to bring a young girl’s self-esteem down. Thanks!

 

Right now there is a hair movement going on. When you go on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or search through different blogs you will find many women who are going back to their natural roots. They are embracing the hair they were given and stepping away from the blow dryer, flat-iron, perms and weaves. There has also been a huge popularity in using all natural products for healthier and long hair. The more women who join the hair movement, the more society will see and respect the hair of all different races. Furthermore, these women will become role models to our young girls and show them to love their hair. No matter if your hair is kinky, straight, long, short, blonde, black, or blue it is beautiful. No matter if you wear it in an Afro, in a ponytail, in a short haircut, braids, or dreadlocks it is beautiful. If it makes you happy then no one else’s opinion should matter.


In the YouTube video “To a Black Girl Whose Hair Was Deemed Unacceptable” and the YouTube video “PSA: My Natural Hair is Beautiful” both are aimed at shedding light on the growing issue of social rejection against certain hair types in society and how it affects our youth. Our young women of color are being told their hair isn’t acceptable and at this age they are very impressionable. They are pushed into a different type of thinking. Where instead of standing their ground and showing everyone that their hair is something to be proud of it and flossing it, they felt belittled and some tried to change. Nevertheless, these videos promoted social change and a hair movement, which communicates to women of any age or race “I woke up like dis, flawless” (in our best Beyoncé voice).

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